BY GLEN STARKEY

I’ve been seeing pink everywhere lately, even on pro football players, who’ve been sporting pink shoes, wristbands, chinstraps, and more. Why? Because it’s breast cancer awareness month! All that pink NFL stuff, right down to the pink shoelaces, will be auctioned off to raise money to combat breast cancer.

Buy hey, there are all kinds of cancer, right? As a dude, I want to know when it’s prostate cancer awareness month. Well, I missed it since it was in September, but did we get a walk and a pancake breakfast? Not that I’m aware of! Did NFL players wear little baby blue ribbons and auction them off? Nope!

So why do boobs get all the press and the NFL apparel and the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk this Saturday, Oct. 26, starting at 8 a.m. at SLO’s Mission Plaza? I know, dumb question. Boobs are way more inspiring than prostates. Still, it just ain’t fair!

I’ve heard they’re expecting hundreds (maybe even a couple thousand) people to show up, and since my wife and I agreed to volunteer with the SLO Elks Lodge to make pancakes, I guess we’ll be dishing up a ton of flapjacks to people willing to walk to raise money to fight breast cancer.

While this year marks just the third time SLO has been host to one, these Making Strides events have been happening nationally since 1993.

“In that time, nine million walkers have raised more than $528 million through Making Strides,” according to press materials provided by the American Cancer Society. “In 2012 alone, over 1.1 million walkers across the country collected $68 million to help fight breast cancer.”

Clearly, this is a cause with a swelling, maybe even ballooning constituency. I mean, people are really concerned about lady boobs!

“This community-based fundraiser also serves as a way for the community to be aware of ways they can play a role in making cancer a No. 1 priority with lawmakers,” continued the press release. “As the country wrestles with how to improve health care in America, the American Cancer Society’s aggressive public awareness campaign, Access to Care, seeks to provide access to health care for all Americans, including those who are uninsured and underinsured.

“Making Strides is a non-competitive 5K walk supporting the American Cancer Society’s unique mission to help people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; help people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight,” added the press materials.

So where does all this money go? The American Cancer Society uses it to fund “cutting-edge research leading to the discovery of lifesaving treatments, advocate for all women to have access to mammograms and treatments—regardless of income—and to provide free programs and services that improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their families.”

Hey, that sounds pretty good! And it’s not too late for you to join the walk. Registration begins at 8 a.m., but walkers are encouraged to register online prior to the event. There’s no registration fee and no minimum fundraising commitment. The walk itself begins at 9 a.m. at Mission Plaza and winds through the downtown area. Donations will be collected at the walk or can be made online by visiting makingstrideswalk.org.

“Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is one of the many great ways the community can help advocate for cancer care for everyone,” said local Event Chair Terra Ramirez. “There’s still much that needs to be done in order to eliminate this disease. That’s why we will once again hold a Making Strides in San Luis Obispo—to continue to raise money to fund cancer research and to let our voices be heard by those who have the power to make a difference: our legislators.”

OK, readers, you walk and I’ll make the pancakes with my fellow Elks! Added bonus! These pancakes will be nearly identical to boobs being mammogrammed.

Coincidence?

Glen Starkey takes a beating and keeps on bleating. Keep up with him via twitter at twitter.com/glenstarkey, friend him at facebook.com/glenstarkey or myspace.com/glenstarkey, or contact him at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.